What is net neutrality?:
Net neutrality is an Obama era regulation that insures that ISPs (internet service providers) treat all data the same. Without net neutrality, ISPs can slow down certain websites, make you pay for the right to visit a website, or even block the website all together. Before net neutrality ISPs were known to slow down streaming services, like Netflix or Youtube, in order to decrease the resolution making sure you would stick to cable tv. If the FCC is successful, things will revert back to that if not worse; they could sell websites like channel packs. Meaning if you want full access to the internet your bill could cost hundreds of dollars.
 
What can you do?: 
Sadly it may be too late to save the internet.  Congress has very little control of the FCC and only the president can control it. This means while you can try to call your congressman, they have very little power to stop it. The only people that can save the internet now are the FCC chairman and President Donald Trump; sadly both strongly support net neutrality repeal.  At the very least, it's worth a shot call your congressman. I've included a link to a website that should help you.
 
Alternatives to current internet structure:
Now we know what net neutrality is and that it's probably doomed, what do we do? There's a host of solutions but the most achievable is a solution called the mesh network. All that ISPs do is connect your computer or phone with big computers called servers through cables in the ground. What if we did that ourselves, connecting ourselves to each other and the servers over the air instead of through the ISPs wires, cutting them out of the equation? This technology already exists and has for about a decade. All  you have to do is download and join up: https://commotionwireless.net/. However, currently the mesh network is not big enough to be much use, but if net neutrality is repealed then it might be your only choice and it should rapidly grow. Detroit already has a functioning model supplying free open internet to thousands.

Story by Franklin Bester-Sproul
 
Works Cited
“Commotion Wireless.” Commotion Wireless, commotionwireless.net/.
Filippi, Primavera De. “It's Time to Take Mesh Networks Seriously (And Not Just for the Reasons You Think).” Wired, Conde Nast, 3 June 2017, www.wired.com/2014/01/its-time-to-take-mesh-networks-seriously-and-not-just-for-the-reasons-you-think/.
Press, Free. “Net Neutrality: What You Need to Know Now.” Free Press, www.savetheinternet.com/net-neutrality-what-you-need-know-now.

Devin Kelley fired in a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, TX after the 11:00am on November 5th, 2017. He fired with a Ruger military rifle, very soon after he fired there  there were many people dead or badly injured. Among the dead there were several children, a pregnant woman, and the pastor's 14 year old daughter. At least 20 more were wounded. New York Times says that it was the deadliest mass shooting in the state's history. Sheriff Tackitt and other officials said the gunman first stopped at a gas station across from the church, he then drove to the church and started firing from outside the church. Immediately after, he went into the church and kept firing. Officials state that he was prepared for an assault, with black tactical gear, multiple rounds of ammunition and a ballistic vest.

When Devin Kelley left the church, neighbors followed him and chased him to the next county. In Guadalupe County, he crashed his car and died in the crash. Of the 26 people dead, 23 people were found dead inside the church, two people found dead outside the church, and one died later in the hospital. President Trump called the shooting  a ¨mental health problem at the highest level¨  and not ¨a guns situation¨ also adding that the gunman was a ¨very deranged individual¨.  Devin Kelley served in the air force in New Mexico, and had charges in 2012 for assaulting his wife and child. The motive for this horrible attack was unclear on Sunday, but the grisly nature of it couldn't be more clear.

Story by Olivia Crosson 

Source: New York Times

What is gerrymandering? Gerrymandering is the act of redrawing district lines to favor a certain outcome. An example of this is when state lawmakers will group all member of a political party into one district so their vote counts for less. Gerrymandering comes from 1812 when Congressman Elbridge Gerry redrew district lines in the shape of a salamander.
 
North Carolina is a prime example of gerrymandering; last year district lines were redrawn after the supreme court ruled that they had racial bias. Now a new case approaches the supreme court, but this time on political gerrymandering. If the plaintiffs win the case, the way America's government operates could change forever. Gerrymandering was vital in the 2010 midterm elections and resulted in major losses for democrats. Since then, there have been huge gerrymandering efforts on both sides of the aisle.
 
Story by Franklin Bester-Sproul

Sources: 
https://studybreaks.com/2017/10/26/everything-need-know-partisan-gerrymandering-case-supreme-court/ 

On Tuesday October 31, 2017, eight people died in a terrorist attack in Manhattan, New York. A man in a Home Depot rental truck plowed down a bike path near the Hudson river killing 8 people. 11 people were also injured. The suspect who was driving is Sayfullo Saipov. People think he has something to do with I.S.I.S. He did this to cause terror. According to the NYTimes, he jumped out of the truck, shouted “Allahu akbar”, which means “God is great” in Arabic, and was then shot by a police officer.  Our thoughts go out to the victims of this attack. 

 Story by Winston Sloan 


​Sources: 
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/01/nyregion/new-york-today-terror-attack-manhattan.html